Category Archives: Video

Longshot 2016 Democrat Presidential hopeful Former Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD) used the atrocity of nine people being shot at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina as an opportunity to sound hip, fund-raise off the the tragedy and pitch his pet issues.

Soon after the shootings in South Carolina, the O’Malley campaign released an email denouncing the NRA, touting O’Malley’s “F” rating with the Second Amendment organization, while asking for”support” to fight for gun control as well as his fledgling campaign.

O’Malley’s rhetoric repeatedly used the colloquial phrase “I’m pissed”. That does not sound presidential but then again President Obama used the “N” word when granting an interview to WTF podcasts, so perhaps deviancy has been defined downward. Nonetheless, it seems garish to push for more gun control before the dead have been laid to rest. But as Rahm Emmanuel posited don’t let a crisis go to waste.

Before the defense rested its case during the penalty phase of the surviving Boston Bomber’s trial, Attorney Miriam Conrad called to the stand Sister Helen Prejean, C.J.S. to testify about Dzhohkar Tsarnaev’s character. The 76 year old nun gained renown for her book Dead Man Walking (1994)

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Prejean quoted the Boston Bomber: “No one deserves to suffer as they did.” Prejean purported that Tsarnaev’s “face registered” what he was saying as “absolutely sincere”. CNN reporter Deborah Feyerick claimed this was nothing short of explosive testimony.

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Defense experts note that if one juror objects to the death penalty, then the Defense achieves its objective and Tsarnaev gets a life sentence without parole. It is thought that someone of Sister Prejean’s stature might be able to influence the jury.

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The twelve jurors will begin deliberations on Wednesday to determine if Tsarnaev would be in line for a lethal injection or serving a life sentence (presumably at Supermax) without possibility of parole.

According to the Gregorian calendar, April 23rd is the Feast of St. George (or Georgemas). The Orthodox also admire the attributes of St. George but follow the Julian calendar which marks the feast on May 6th. St. George born in Syria Palestrinia in the late Third Century who served as an officer in the Roman army that guarded the Emporer Diocletian, but who was martyred for not renouncing his Christian faith. The emperor tried to bribe George to renounce his faith and tortured him, but to no avail. Before he was decapitated, St. George gave all of his wealth to the poor.

St. George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church, among Anglicans, Orthodox, East Syrian churches. Even Muslims revere this honorable military man. In the Twelfth Century a legend was attached to St. George about slaying a dragon. The standard Orthodox icon of St. George depicts him slaying a dragon with a woman in the background.

The dragon is generally understood as being both Satan and the monster from his own life (Diocletian). The woman in the background is Alexandra, the wife of Emperor Diocletian. Crusaders credit an appearance of St. George. This was probably legend which traveled back with the Crusaders from the Holy Land and was embellished in courtly Romance retellings. Legend has it that a plague bearing dragon came down from the mountains and terrorized the countryside.

St. George is the patron saint of England yet it is not a public holiday in England. The reasons why celebration of Georgemas is muted are cultural, historical and now tinged with political correctness.

St. George was neither English nor roundly associated with England, even though King Edward III formed the Order of the Garder under the patronage of St. George in 1348. The Reformation played a part as Protestants did not care much for saints’ days. In addition, celebration of St. George’s day has been in decline since the Act of Union between England in Scotland completed in 1707. In today’s world, the Daily Telegraph reports that many English people are concerned that national symbols like St. George can be considered racists,

Aside from the fact that many pubs in England are named after George and the dragon, it makes one wonder why this legend matters. Modern man is quick to dismiss myths (unless it is anthropogenic global warming), but this is short sighted. Myths convey essential truths although the romantic story elements may not be exact.

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The reason that St. George matters so much to the English is that the legend reinforces characteristics which the English admire and seek to emulate. St. George is a knight who exemplified chivalry. St. George and the dragon also champions the little guy as well as the triumph of good over evil. The versions which depict him making the sign of the cross depict deep dedication to principles (if we dare not declare faith). These romanticized virtues along with the more verifiable versions of his hagiography make St. George a man worthy (bank holiday or not) for Englishmen to emulate.